No revival of 370, 35A under cover of Statehood: Billawaria

BJP holds protest at Gangyal

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 1: J&K BJP general secretary, Baldev Singh Billawaria led a strong protest against the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference Government in Gangyal, where BJP activists and local residents burnt the effigy of the NC Government and raised slogans against its policies.

The protest was attended by J&K BJP All Cells in-charge Ved Sharma, district Prabhari, Praduman Singh, district president, Naresh Singh Jasrotia, SC Morcha, president, Dharminder Kumar, besides other party office-bearers, activists and local residents.

Addressing the protesters, Baldev Singh Billawaria said BJP fully supports the restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir but will firmly oppose any attempt to use the legitimate Statehood demand to reopen Constitutional issues settled by Parliament in 2019.

"Statehood and the pre-1953 agenda are two entirely different issues. The NC Government cannot use the genuine aspiration for Statehood as a vehicle to revive the politics of autonomy, Article 370 and Article 35A. Parliament has taken a historic decision and BJP will not allow any attempt to dilute or reverse it," Billawaria said.

Billawaria said the BJP's protest follows the Assembly's passage of a Statehood resolution containing references to the 2000 autonomy resolution and the 2024 special-status resolution, which, he said, exposes the NC's intention to keep old Constitutional controversies alive.

Billawaria criticized the NC Government for diverting public attention from its mis-governance failures and unfulfilled election commitments by repeatedly raising such issues. He said the Government must answer the people on promises including 200 units of free electricity, free gas cylinders and other welfare commitments, instead of reopening settled Constitutional matters.

"The people want development, employment, basic amenities and accountable governance, not a return to the politics of the past. The NC must stop misleading the people by mixing Statehood with its pre-1953 agenda," he said.

Billawaria asserted that BJP would continue to strongly oppose any move aimed at reviving Articles 370 and 35A or the pre-1953 autonomy agenda, while consistently raising the genuine concerns of the people and supporting their demand for restoration of Statehood.